System for recording work done during rotary drilling operations



'5 3 m ii 9 i v SEARCH KUUM Jan. 17, 1967 A. B. HILDEBRANDT 3,298,226 SYSTEM FOR RECORDING WORK DONE DURING ROTARY I DRILLING OPERATIONS Filed June 4, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 54 I V f 57 h 66 x, as v L" 58 Lu ,1 I

I" I 50 60 I I: L ii In 42 Alexander B. Hildebrundt INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Jan. 17, 1967 A. B. HILDEBRANDT 3,298,225

SYSTEM FOR RECORDING WORK DONE DURING ROTARY DRILLING OPERATIONS Filed June 4, 1965 3 SheetsSheet 2 Alexander B. Hildebrondt INVENTOR.

1M ay Q1; Qu t6 ATTORNEY Jan; 17, 1967 HILDEBRANDT 3,298,226

A B. SYSTEM FOR RECORDING WORK DONE DURING ROTARY v DRILLING OPERATIONS Filed June 4, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Alexander B. Hildebrondt INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,298,226 Patented Jan. 17, 1967 3,298,226 SYSTEM FOR RECORDKNG WORK DONE DURING ROTARY DRILLENG OPERATIONQ Alexander B. Hildehrantlt, Tulsa, Okla, asslgnor, by

mesne assignments, to Esso Production Research Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 4, 1963, Ser. No. 2S5,396 7 Claims. (Cl. 73-151) This invention relates to the drilling of boreholes into the earth. It relates particularly to a system for recording a summation of the product of parameters useful for determining when to move and/ or cut a wire line used in drilling operations.

In the art of drilling wells for the production of oil and gas, the most commonly used method is the so-called rotary drilling method. In the rotary drilling method a drill bit is suspended at the lower end of a string of drill pipe which is supported from the surface of the earth. The drill string is conventionally formed of many joints of drill pipe, each joint usually being about 30 feet long. As the hole is deepened, additional joints of drill pipe as needed are connected into the string. A drilling fluid is forced down through the drill string, through the drill bit, and back up to the surface through the annulus between the drill pipe and the walls of the borehole. While the drilling fluid serves primarily to carry the rock cuttings from the drill bit to the surface, it also seives to lubricate and cool the drilling bit. The drill bit obtains its rotary motion from the drill pipe which is rotated from the surface. It is known that the rate of penetration of a drill bit can be increased by increasing the force of the drill bit on the bottom of the borehole. The penetration of the drill it is also influenced by the rate at which the drilling fluid is forced through the drill bit and by the rate of rotation of the bit.

The life of certain mechanical portions or members of a drilling unit is at least partially dependent upon the work performed by that member. One such mechanical member is the heavy wire drilling line used on drilling rigs to raise and lower the drill pipe. Such wire line is subjected to unequal wear due to the cyclic nature of drilling operations. An extra supply of wire line is carried as a con tinuous part of the active line or the line in use. Generally speaking, the drilling line extends from a supply drum through a releasable anchor for anchoring the line to a rigid base, through a block and tackle means suspended from the rig and downwardly to a draw works drum or power drum. In general practice, periodically the anchor means is released and a portion of the supply of drilling line is slipped into use. A portion of the line previously used to raise and lower the block and tackle means is cut off at the end of the line connected to the power drum. When the portion of the worn line which is cut from the new or supply line, the portion thus cut 01f has to be unwound from the draw or power drum and removed therefrom. The new end of the line is secured to the power drum. The active portion of the hoisting or drilling line is changed.

Generally the time involved in cutting the line and resecuring the supply end to the draw works drum is greater than the time to slip the line from the supply drum into the hoisting mechanism. Thus, in practice several slips are normally made before the line is cut at the draw works drum. The additional worn line is wound around the draw works drum and is thus removed from the remaining part of the hoisting mechanism. However, the size of the draw works drum limits the amount of line which can feasibly be contained thereon. Thus when the fixed amount of line is wrapped around the draw works drum, the line has to be cut and the worn portion of the used line removed therefrom.

Much study has been done toward determining when the active portion of the line in the hoisting mechanism should he slipped and replaced by a new portion from the supply line. In normal usage it has been found that the wear rate of a hoisting line is a function of the work done by the line. A summation of the product of the travel distance of the wire line and the tension thereon is a measure of the work performed through the wire line. This work is conveniently measured in ton-miles. When a line has performed a certain amount of work in a system, the line should be replaced.

One object of this invention is to provide a recording system which automatically records ton-miles, that is, an apparatus which continuously records the summation of the product of the line travel and the tension on the line.

Thus in a broad sense, the invention concerns an apparatus for continuously recording ZAB wherein A is a first parameter of force such as tension on a wire line, weight applied to the drill string or torque applied to the drill string. B is a parameter of motion or movement such as rotation of the drill pipe, travel of the line in the hoist means.

Other objects and a better understanding of the invention may be had from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus especially suitable for obtaining ton-mile indication of the wire hoist line on a drilling rig;

FIG. 2 is another embodiment of the invention useful for recording energy or work per foot drilled or per unit time; and,

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the inven tion useful for recording work in rotating a drill bit.

FIG. 1 illustrates the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. It is especially useful in determining when the active portion of the hoisting wire line should be replaced with line from the supply spool. Shown schematically thereon is a derrick or rig 10 having a crown block 12 from which is suspended a traveling block 14 by line 16. Line 16 is a conventional heavy wire line which is continuous from supply spool 18 through anchor and weight sensor device 20, crown block 12, traveling block 14 to the draw works or power drum 22. One end of line 16 is secured to drum 22. Item 20 is in reality preferably a combination weight sensor and anchor. The anchor secures the dead line and also serves as a means to develop a weight signal. A suitable combination weight indicator and anchor is commercially available from Martin-Decker Corporation, Long Beach, California, and is described as their Type E or D Weight Indicator. A clamp 23 is provided for securing the line 16 to the anchor means 20. A weight sensor 24 provides hydraulic fluid pressure through conduit 26 to a bourdon tube 28. Variations in the weight on equipment such as drill pipe connected to traveling block 14 varies or controls the tension on wire line 16. As this weight varies, the hydraulic output from sensor 24 varies; thus the position of bourdon tube 28 is a function of the tension on line 16.

The embodiment of FIG. 1 is especially suitable for determining the work done through the most active portion of wire line 16, that is, the portion from anchor 20 to power drum 22 during the vertical movement of block 14. This can be expressed as EAB where A is the tension on wire line 16 and B is movement of the line. As shown immediately above, weight sensor 24 measures the ten sion on line 16. The hydraulic output from sensor 24 is connected through conduit 26 to bourdon tube 28. The position of bourdon tube 28 is thus representative of A.

Attention will next be directed toward obtaining factor B, the travel of line 16. The line travel transmitter may be located on the rig at several locations but is conveniently located on the drilling line drum. A transmitter means 30, such as a selsyn generator, of a synchro system is used to transmit the shaft rotation of drum 22 through line 32 to receiver means 34 of the synchro system. Transmitter means 30 has a shaft 36 on which a rubber wheel 38 is mounted. Rubber wheel 38 is mounted in frictional engagement with rim or drum flange 40 of drum 22. The position and size of wheel 38 can be adjusted, if desired, so that error due to change in effective diameter of spool or drum 42, by winding more line thereon, is not objectionable.

A mechanical integrator 42 is provided for receiving factor A and factor B. A suitable integrator is commercially available as Model -1-AB-CD from Librascope Division, General Precision Inc., Burbank, California. Mechanical integrator 42 has a first input shaft 44, a second input shaft 46, and an output shaft 48. Input shaft 44 responds to motion longitudinal to its axis. Shaft 44 is connected through set screw 50 to bourdon tube 48. Thus the movement of shaft 44 is directly proportional to and a function of the tension on line 16.

Shaft 46 supplies the second input, i.e. the travel of line 16, to integrator 42. Line 16 travels in two directions as indicated by the arrows on power drum 22. This motion is transmitted from transmitting means through line 32 to receiving means 34. Such receiving means has a gear 52 on shaft 54 extending from receiver 34. Gear 52 rotates first in one direction and then in the other and over any period of time the rotation in one direction approximately equals the rotation in the other direction; however, the load in each case is different. However, total travel of line 16 is what is desired without regard to direction. Thus one-way clutches 56 and 58 are provided for shaft 46 so that shaft 46 revolves in only one direction. One-way clutch 56 is responsive to opposite rotation from that to which clutch 58 is responsive. In other words, one is a left-handed clutch and the other right-handed. The total revolving of shaft 46 is directly proportional to total line movement. A suitable one-way clutch assembly is available from the Miniclutch Company, Hamden, Connecticut, and is designated their Model 62 CL-6. The rotation of disc gear 52 is alternately in one direction and then the other; however, this is transmitted into rotation in one direction through clutches 56 and 58 which are connected wtih shaft 57 to shaft 46.

Integrator 42 has two inputs (1) shaft 46 which is rotated proportional to the travel of line 16 and (2) shaft 44 Whose longitudinal movement is proportional to the tension on line 16. The output 48 is the integral or the summation of the product of these two factors. Shaft 48 is connected to a tachometer 60 having resetting knob 62. It is preferred that, if the line travel in both directions, is 5,280 feet and the line tension averages 2,000 pounds during this period, counter 60 will increase one digit representing one ton-mile. This is readily accomplished by proper selection of bourdon tube 28, the proper selection of roller 38 and matched disc gear 52 and the gears 64 and 66 of clutches 56 and 58 respectively.

When ton-mile indicator 60 shows that the active part of line 16 has reached its ton-mile limit, clamp 24 is loosened and additional line is slipped through the block 14 and crown block 12 from supply drum 18. The additional or worn part of the line 16 is rolled about power drum 22. After a few times of slipping and rolling up of worn line on drum 22, the worn line must be removed due to the disadvantage of multilayers on the drum 22. When this is necessary, line 16 is parted or out after the new line has been slipped into the active portion of the system. The line is then cut at a position between the new portion of the line and the worn portion. The worn portion is removed from drum 22 and the end of the new portion of line 16 is then secured to drum 22 in the normal manner. With this system, laborious calculations are not required in determining the ton-miles applied on the line. It is automatically, accurately and instantaneously available. Thus when the desired limit of ton-miles has been reached,

the operator of the drilling unit knows immediately that the line should be slipped.

Attention is now directed to FIG. 2 which shows another embodiment of a work recorder for use in the drilling of boreholes. In this embodiment the summation is the integral of the product of revolutions of the rotary drill string and the torque applied thereto. Shown thereon is rig 70 having a hoisting line 72 suspended from a crown block 74 to a traveling block 76. Traveling block 76 is connected to kelly 78. Line 72 is connected to power drum 80. Details of the anchor and supply drum such as anchor 20 and supply drum 18 of FIG. 1 are not shown here, but would in ordinary drilling be included. Power unit 32 is connected to drive shaft 84 of rotary table 86 by belt means 33 in a conventional manner. A torque sensing device 90 having roller 92 is mounted such that the force of the belt 88 on roller 92 is a measure of the torque exerted on the drill pipe through kelly 78. The output of torque sensing device 90 is a hydraulic pressure which is transmitted through conduit 94 to Bourdon tube 96 mounted on frame 97. Bourdon tube 96 is connected to shaft 98 of integrator 100, similarly as was Bourdon tube 28 connected to integrator 42 of FIG. 1. Integrator 100 is mounted on frame 97 and can be similar or identical to integrator 42 of FIG. 1. Thus one input to the integrator is a measure of the torque applied to the drill string.

The other input to integrator 100 is a function representing revolutions of the drill pipe. This is obtained by connecting a transmitter means 102 of a synchro system to shaft 84 of the rotary table. Transmitter means 102 can be a selsyn type transmitter Model 2IDA66PA10A and receiver means 104, a selsyn type receiver Model 2JDA66PA10A such as manufactured by General Electric Company of Waynesboro, Virginia. Transmitter means 102 is connected to receiver means 104 through line 106. The rotational output of receiving means 104 is connected to input shaft 108 of integrator 100. The rotation of output shaft 110 of integrator 100 is representative of the summation of the product of the revolutions of the drill string and the torque exerted thereon.

Shaft 110 of integrator 100 is connected to a gear box 112. The output shaft 114 of gear box 112 is connected through clutch 116 to pulley 118 to which one end of line 120 is secured. Line 120 goes over pulleys 122, 124 and 126 to connect the other end to a spring 128. A traveling pen holder 130 is slidably mounted on rod 132. Means 134 are provided to connect the traveling pin holder securely to line 120 at any desired point so that pen holder 130 travels along rod 132 in response to movement of line 120. A pen 136 is carried by pen holder 130 and is positioned to place an indicating mark upon chart 138 mounted on Cll'UIIl 140. Drum 140 is mounted on drive shaft 142, which is supported from frame 97 by means not shown. Drive shaft 142 is connected on the right-hand side through clutch 144 to a drive clock 146. On the left-hand side, drive shaft 142 is connected through clutch 148 to receiver driving means 150.

Automatic measuring means are provided for giving olf a first signal representative of the footage penetrated by the drill bit and a second signal indicative of the drilling of certain increments such as two feet, for example. A suitable means 152 is a Geolograph 4 Pen Recorder, Model G7TPW commercially available from the Geolograph Company, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Line 154 goes through a pulley means 156 suspended at the top of derrick 70 and downwardly to traveling block 76. As the bit drills deeper into the hole, traveling block 76 follows it downwardly as it is tied to kelly 78. The movement of line 154 then is a measure of the downward movement of the drill bit. Line 154 is connected to measuring means 152 and supplies an indication of the penetration of the drill bit into the earth. The particular geolograph apparatus described above distinguishes between downward travel and upward travel of the kelly so that only the downward travel is used in determining the footage drilled. The first output signal of device 152 is transmitted through line 158 to receiver 150. The signal on line 158 is a measure of the total depth drilled. As is seen, chart 138 can be driven either by clock 146 or receiver means 150 which gives a measure of the depth drilled. Thus one factor on chart 138 can be either time or footage driven.

Sometimes it is desired to record the rotary energy as indicated by the rotation of shaft 110 of integrator 100 by returning pen 136 to zero at each foot drilled or other selected intervals. This is readily accomplished in the device of FIG. 2. The Geolograph Recorder described above gives olf a signal indicated at 160. Such signal is transmitted through transmission line 161 to a receiving means 162. Upon receiving a pulse 160 from recorder 152, shaft 164 of receiver 162 moves arm 166 about pivot 168. This disengages clutch 116 so that pulley 118 is not connected to shaft 114 of gear means 112. Spring means 128 then rapidly returns pen holder 130 to its zero or reference position.

Attention is now directed to chart 138. Shown thereon is a first curve 170 which indicates foot pounds, for example. The line extends from a zero reading to the right until one foot, or other selected interval, is drilled and pen 136 is returned to the zero position. The longer the line or the further the pen goes to the right before it is returned, the more energy, or work, is required for drilling the interval. Thus at 172 considerably more energy was required to drill the interval from B to C than was required from A to B. This gives an indication of lithology as well as an indication of the cutting or dullness of the bit. At the right-hand side of chart 138 is a lithology log 174. This lithology log 174 can be taken from other Wells in the area if they are known and the drilling rate compared to a lithology log.

In operation of the device of FIG. 2 some of the torque measured by torque sensor 90 is attributed to build up torque resistance in the annulus between the drill pipe and the borehole wall due to cuttings accumulations and other factors. This torque can be measured or estimated. Shaft 98 is then adjusted in relation to bourdon tube 96 such that when the pressure in bourdon tube representing this build-up torque in the annulus, or other extraneous torque, is adjusted such that shaft 98 is in its zero position. Thus that torque would have no effect on the recording on chart 138. This is useful when it is desired to note the energy expended in the actual drilling of the rock itself. This can also be accomplished by having zero weight on the bit and rotating the drill string at its desired r.p.m. and then setting the integrator 100 to have a zero output. Then when weight is applied to the bit, the output rotation of shaft 110 from integrator 100 is due essentially to the energy or foot pounds required to turn the bit in the rock.

Attention is next directed toward FIG. 3 which is similar to FIG. 2 in that it provides means for recording rotary energy indications. It is different from FIG. 2 primarily in the record obtained. The record is an accumulation of the total work performed and the recording pen does not return to zero at selected intervals. It is returned to Zero manually only if desired. A part of the details of the derrick means shown in FIG. 2 are not repeated in FIG. 3. The elements of FIG. 3 which are identical to the elements of FIG. 2 are given the same number in each figure. These include rotary table 86, kelly 78, rotary table drive shaft 84, drive belt 88, sensor element 90, conduit 94, bourdon tube 96, integrator 100, gear box 112, receiver means 104, line 106, and selsyn transmitter 102. Drive belt 88 is connected to power source 83. The recording drum and means for driving it is also similar to FIG. 3. These include drum 140, clutches 148, 144, clock 146, and drive or receiving means 150. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, similarly as FIG. 2, the movement of output shaft 110 of integrator 100 is a function of the integral of the product of the torque on kelly 78 and the rotation of the drill string. The output shaft 114 of gear 112 is connected to a pulley 117 upon which is secured one end of a line 119. Line 119 is connected to traveling holder 133 for pen 137. The other end of line 119 is secured through spring 182 to hook means 184. In the device of FIG. 3 drum can be driven either by clock 146 by disengaging clutch 148 and engaging clutch 144 or alternatively it can be driven by drive means 150 by engaging clutch 148 and disengaging clutch 144. The latter drives the drum as a function of the penetration of the drill bit.

As an alternate way of operating the device in FIG. 2, the device can be operated by maintaining clutch 116 in continuous engagement which is accomplished easily by disabling the signal normally fed to receiving means 162. When this occurs, the curve which is recorded on chart 138 is a continuous curve showing the instantaneous accumulative summation of the output of integrator 100.

While there are above disclosed but a limited number of embodiments of the system of the invention herein presented, it is possible to produce still other embodiments without departing from the inventive concept herein disclosed. It is therefore desired that only such limitations be imposed on the appended claims as are stated therein.

What is claimed is:

1. In an oilfield drilling unit including as working members a string of drill pipe which is rotated to advance a drill bit into the earth and a hoisting line by means of which said string of pipe is raised and lowered in the borehole, the improvement which comprises:

first means for measuring the force applied to one of said working members of said drilling unit and obtaining an output proportional to the force thus measured; second means responsive to the movement of said working member for obtaining an output proportional to the movement of said working member;

integrating means for obtaining the summation of the product of a first input and a second input;

third means for applying the output of said first means to said integrating means as said first input;

fourth means for applying the output of said second means to said integrating means as said second input.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means to record the output of said integrating means.

3. In an oilfield drilling unit wherein a string of drill pipe is rotated to advance a drill bit into the earth and said string of pipe is raised and lowered in the borehole by means of a line which must be replaced periodically, the improvement which comprises:

first means for measuring the torque applied to said drill string;

second means for measuring the rotation of said drill string;

integrating means for integrating a first input and a second input;

means for applying the output of said first means to said integrating means as said first input;

means for applying the output of said second means to said integrating means as said second input;

and means indicating the output of said integrating means.

4. An apparatus for recording the work performed by a rotating drill string connected to a drill bit which penetrates into the earth which comprises:

first means for measuring the torque applied to said drill string and obtaining an output indicative of the torque measured;

second means for measuring rotation of said drill string and obtaining an output indicative of the movement measured;

integrating means including a first shaft for receiving a first input, a second shaft for receiving a second input, and means for delivering an output proportional to the cumulative total of the product of the first input and the second input;

third means for applying the output of said first means to the first shaft of said integrating means;

fourth means for applying the output of said second means to the second shaft of said integrating means;

a recording medium;

drive means for driving said recording medium as a function of depth penetrated by the drill bit; recording means for recording an indication on said recording means; and

means for moving said recording means transverse to the movement of said recording medium in response to the output of said integrating means.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 including means for returning the recording means to a reference line after a predetermined advance of said drill string.

6. In an oilfield drilling unit wherein a string of drill pipe is rotated to advance a drill bit into the earth and said string of pipe is raised and lowered in the borehole by means of a wireline which must be replaced periodically, the improvement which comprises:

first means for measuring the tension on said line;

second means for measuring the movement of said line;

integrating means for obtaining the summation of the product of a first input and a second input;

means for applying the output from said first means to said integrating means as said first input; and fourth means for applying the output from said second means to said integrating means as said second input.

7. In a drilling unit including a derrick, a crown block suspended at the upper end of said derrick, a hoisting line fastened through said crown block, a traveling block suspended by said line from said crown block and a power drum for taking up and dispensing said line, the improvement which comprises:

sensing means for measuring the tension in said line and generating a pressure proportional to the measured tension;

transmitting means for generating an output responsive to the rotation of said power drum;

a receiving means connected to said transmitting means for generating an output responsive to the output of said transmitting means;

an integrating means including a first shaft movable along its longitudinal axis and a rotatable second input shaft;

a Bourdon tube;

means for applying the output of said sensing means to said Bourdon tube;

means for connecting said Bourdon tube to said first shaft of said integrating means such that the longitudinal movement of said first shaft is responsive to the pressure within said Bourdon tube;

a first one-way overrunning clutch mounted on said second shaft of said integrating means;

a second one-way overrunning clutch mounted on said second shaft, said second clutch being counter overrunning to said first clutch;

means driving said clutches in opposite rotational directions in response to the output of said receiving means; and

means indicating the output of said integrating means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 466,214 12/1891 Behr 73-138 614,240 11/1898 Uehling 73141 2,128,833 8/1938 Martin 73-151 X 2,623,387 12/1952 Pitcher of al. 73151.5 3,010,777 11/1961 Melton et al 34633 RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner.

J. W. MYRACLE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN OILFIELD DRILLING UNIT INCLUDING AS WORKING MEMBERS A STRING OF DRILL PIPE WHICH IS ROTATED TO ADVANCE A DRILL BIT INTO THE EARTH AND A HOISTING LINE BY MEANS OF WHICH SAID STRING OF PIPE IS RAISED AND LOWERED IN THE BOREHOLE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: FIRST MEANS FOR MEASURING THE FORCE APPLIED TO ONE OF SAID WORKING MEMBERS OF SAID DRILLING UNIT AND OBTAINING AN OUTPUT PROPORTIONAL TO THE FORCE THUS MEASURED; SECOND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID WORKING MEMBER FOR OBTAINING AN OUTPUT PROPORTIONAL TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID WORKING MEMBER; INTEGRATING MEANS FOR OBTAINING THE SUMMATION OF THE PRODUCT OF A FIRST INPUT AND A SECOND INPUT; THIRD MEANS FOR APPLYING THE OUTPUT OF SAID FIRST MEANS TO SAID INTEGRATING MEANS AS SAID FIRST INPUT; FOURTH MEANS FOR APPLYING THE OUTPUT OF SAID SECOND MEANS TO SAID INTEGRATING MEANS AS SAID SECOND INPUT. 